DSC Extends the Popular Be the Dinosaur Exhibition

The Da Vinci Science Center appearance of the traveling exhibition Be the Dinosaur: Life in the Cretaceous – which helped the Center increase its fall 2014 walk-in visitation by more than 50 percent – will be extended through Feb. 22, 2015.

Sponsored at the Da Vinci Science Center by ATAS International, Inc., and B. Braun, the Be the Dinosaur exhibition opened on Oct. 11, 2014, and had been scheduled to close on Jan. 19, 2015. This entertaining high-tech exhibition features video game technologies that let visitors create and control their own digital dinosaurs through a virtual Earth during the Cretaceous period more than 65 million years ago. The experience also includes a Dino Dig pit built by the Center for kids to explore and uncover replica dinosaur fossils.

The Da Vinci Science Center also will extend its Dino Day events for preschool children and their families. The additional Dino Days will be held on Mondays from Jan. 26-Feb. 9, 2015.

The Da Vinci Science Center’s walk-in visitation increased 53.5 percent from Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2014, in comparison with the same period in 2013. The Center’s group and school field trip visitation also rose 30.6 percent in the fall of 2014.

The Be the Dinosaur exhibition is included with paid Center admission or membership entry. Tickets can be purchased at the Center or on the web at davincisciencecenter.org/tickets.

“We have been delighted with the response to the Be the Dinosaur exhibition by our visitors and our members,” said Lin Erickson, the Da Vinci Science Center’s Executive Director and CEO. “Be the Dinosaur is a playful experience that lets children explore their curiosities about what it was like to be a dinosaur and the world in which they lived and its extension provides a great opening to the year 2015, during which our special exhibits will highlight the wonders of planet Earth.”

The Da Vinci Science Center’s Year of the Planet highlight theme continues through 2015 with the blockbuster exhibition National Geographic Presents: Earth Explorers in the summer and the entertaining traveling exhibition Rainforest Adventure in the fall. The Year of the Planet theme follows the Center’s dynamic Year of the Human Body and Year of Innovation themes.

We're taking the Art of Science summer camp experience and shrinking it for little ones. Learn about how we use basic science concepts to make beautiful art, and how art and creativity inspires science. Colors, math, and different art media are all combined into one great week. Art of Science Camp is designed for preschoolers ages 4-5. Choose from two different weeks, starting June 18. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2nrRgXO.

Take the Egg Drop Challenge during Eggcellent Adventures weekend on March 30-31 and April 2, presented by Crayola. Spin the wheel to determine your egg protection materials and drop your contraption off our balcony to see if your egg survives. If your egg breaks, try again until you succeed! More information at http://bit.ly/2oQDtq7.

Da Vinci Science Center After School Clubs start April 7. Students in grades K-5 can join STEAM Club, where they'll explore exhibits and tinker with some of today's most cutting edge technology. Students in grades 5-8 can join Technology & Robotics Club where their passion for technology and gaming will transform into real-world skills that will last a lifetime. For more information, and to register, visit http://bit.ly/2x97HMM.

Bean the Sloth & his friends from the Lehigh Valley Zoo will be visiting us on Saturday, March 24 at 11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. for live shows. Don't miss your opportunity to learn all about Bean and some other surprise guests. More info at http://bit.ly/2th45Yr.

Don't forget, "Explore Healthcare" Career Days run March 15-17. Come out to the Science Center and learn from St. Luke’s University Health Network professionals about jobs in sports medicine, physical therapy, nursing, neuroscience, and much more. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2FAGnrp.

Ada Lovelace was coding almost 200 years before smartphones and tablets existed! Use beads to write your birthday in binary code during this Little Learner Activity on Monday, March 19 from 10:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Little Learner Activities in March are all about great scientists. http://bit.ly/2otJE4S#LittleLearners

Spring Break School's Out Day Camps at the Da Vinci Science Center. On Friday, March 30 at “More Bugs Galore” Day Camp, explore the fascinating world of bugs, insects, and everything in between. On Monday, April 2 at “Flora and Fauna” Day Camp, conduct experiments to learn how plants and animals adapt and survive in their unique environments. Register for both Spring Break Day Camps and save $10. School's Out Day Camps are for students in grades K-5 and are held 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information and to register today, visit http://bit.ly/2F93b1S.

After School Clubs at the Da Vinci Science Center start in April. STEAM Camp, for students in grades K-5, begins April 11. Technology & Robotics Club, for students in grades 5-8, begins April 7. For more information and to register, visit http://bit.ly/2x97HMM.

Today is International Women's Day. It began in Russia in 1917 to commemorate the movement for women's rights. Through our Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Network, the science center supports female professionals in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields and works to inspire young women to follow in their footsteps. In February, a record-breaking 450 participants attended our annual WISE Networking Forum. We thank all our WISE supporters, especially the Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Daiichi-Sankyo and B. Braun Medical. Learn more at http://www.davincisciencecenter.org/news/inspiring-young-women/